Her Choice
by Robin and Marian 4ever
Summary: Prequel to Friends and Family. Layla has to make a choice. Will she risk dissapointing the people she loves? ONE-SHOT


**AN" I finally decided to post this. It's a one shot, a prequel of sorts to Friends and Family.**

**Enjoy**

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After the disastrous events of Homecoming, Layla had wanted things to go back to normal. She had expected it, even. But she had been wrong. The school had not stopped talking about that night, even a month later. Though most of it was about Will and Warren, she and the rest of her friends had also been the subject of hushed whispers in the hallways.

Despite all that, though, Layla was happy. She and Will were together and it was much better than she had ever thought it could be. They were close, they always had been but it felt different. There was an intimacy between them, something that was just slightly different from just being best friends and was much stronger. She had even gained a new friend in Warren, though the group still gave him his space. She and Will were the ones to really spend time with him outside of school. That was something she was going to change. It would just take time.

Layla was in class with Magenta, Ethan, and Zack when her thoughts were interrupted by Principal Powers knocking on the door.

"Good morning, Mr. Boy," Principal Powers said and nodded to the class. "May I see Ms. Williams, please?"

Layla glanced up, puzzled at hearing her name. She did not know why the _principal_ of all people wanted to see her. She sent a confused glance to her friends, whose eyes matched the puzzled and slightly worried look of her own. Layla got up from her seat, as Mr. Boy excused her from class and she followed the principal out the door.

Layla sent a worried glance towards the woman walking next to her. Why in the world would she be called to the principal's office? As far as she knew she hadn't done anything wrong, had she? Layla's concern only increased the closer they got to the office and she nervously chewed her nails. What had she done?

"Ms. Williams, I wanted to talk to you about certain events concerning Homecoming night," Powers said as she sat down behind her desk.

"What do you mean?" Layla asked.

"You are aware that Penny, Speed and Lash were questioned by the authorities because of their actions that night?" Powers responded.

Layla nodded - that had been the only time that she and the others had not been on the minds of the Sky High's student body.

"It has been brought to our attention your actions against Penny, Ms. Williams," the principal continued.

"I am so sorry about what happened, Principal Powers, I didn't want to hurt Penny but I couldn't let her do something, and I really didn't mean to-" Layla hurriedly rambled.

"You did nothing wrong, Layla, you only acted to save your classmates and yourself," interrupted Powers. "In fact, that is the reason I called you in here."

Layla stared at her, puzzled; she did not know why else she would have been called to the Principal's office if she was not going to get into trouble.

"I wanted to ask you why you let Coach Boomer put you into Hero Support, Ms. Williams," the principal asked.

Layla blinked.

"I didn't show him my powers, Principal Powers. It's demeaning; Power Placement shouldn't even take place," Layla responded, trying to keep herself calm.

"So Coach Boomer said," Powers said as she gave Layla a small smile. "That is why I am giving you a choice, Ms. Williams."

"What kind of choice?" Layla asked the principal.

"You are being given the choice, Layla, to switch to the Hero Track, if you so desire," responded Principal Powers who gave her an expectant look.

Layla sent the principal a surprised look. She had never thought about switching levels before. At least she knew the principal was serious, otherwise Layla would have never heard her name. Principal Powerswas nothing if not proper and respectful.

"Why would I switch? I mean, I like the classes and my friends are there and-" Layla began.

Powers looked at her, a look which Layla could not decipher.

"You have a Hero Power, Ms. Williams, and you can effectively use it like Mr. Stronghold and Mr. Peace," she finished. Her tone spoke of finality, a logic that was supposedly infallible.

Layla didn't know how to respond. She liked being told that she could be a Hero. But she didn't want to leave her friends, her classes, and the stability that she had relied on after Homecoming. Plus, if she did decide to move up to Hero classes, it would invalidate all of the reasons that she made that had Boomer place her in Hero support anyway.

Layla worriedly continued to chew at her nails. At the moment she felt so overwhelmed, she had never even thought about this and now she has to choose.

"I am not…I just…," Layla haltingly started, then ignoring her principal's expectant look, "Can I have some time to think?" she continued.

"It's just a really big decision and this was so unexpected…" Layla trailed off with a questioning look on her face.

Layla shifted uncomfortably as the principal continued to give her an expectant look.

"You have until Monday, Ms. Williams, to make your final decision." Layla relaxed as she heard those words.

"Thank you, Principal Powers," Layla gratefully responded even as she got ready to leave.

Layla left the principal's office. She was confused and didn't want her friends to know why, not yet. She needed time to think and she knew that if she told her friends it would make her decision harder. Magenta, Ethan, and Zack would be disappointed but also happy about it. Will would be ecstatic and tell her it was the best thing ever and would without meaning to make her feel guilty and make her feel forced to join.

But there was one person she could talk to without feeling any heat at all.

_SkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHigh_

Layla stared at the entrance to the Paper Lantern. She hoped that Warren was actually at work - she hadn't asked him in school. Warren was the one person she could talk to without any pressures because he was the only one that would be unaffected by her choice; he was a junior, after all.

Layla was sitting at a booth; the same one that she sat at the night that she first met Warren.

Well it wasn't the first time she met him, but it was the first time she saw something in him she liked. That night she saw the real Warren, the person that she and the rest of her friends had gotten to know these last few months.

"Okay Hippie, what's up?" Warren asked as he came up to her table.

Layla jumped.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" she asked, smiling innocently.

"You're sitting here with the same look on your face you had that night about Stronghold," Warren teased, "And you're tearing up your napkins," he added, grinning.

"Oh…" Layla said as she looked down.

Warren sat down opposite her.

"Hippie?" he asked, his lips pursing in concern.

Layla fiddled with her shredded napkins.

"Principal Powers called me into her office today," Layla began.

"What did you do? Fail something?" Warren interrupted, his grin not fading but his brow furrowing.

"She wanted to talk to me about Homecoming," Layla continued, pointedly ignoring him. "About how I used my powers. And that she wanted me to switch classes."

Warren sent her a questioning glance, not understanding her meaning.

"She wants me to move into Hero classes," Layla clarified at his look.

"And you don't want to?" Warren asked. His grin was long gone, but his eyes held a secret amusement.

"I don't know. I mean...it's nice to get the compliment, you know? To be told what I did was actually worth something. But...at the same time...I had a very good reason for not showing Coach Boomer my powers," Layla confessed.

"Why didn't you?" Warren curiously asked, his interest only peaked when Layla shifted uncomfortably and continued to shred her napkins.

"I don't like violence, Warren," Layla steadfastly told him, "I believe that people should always try to talk things through first."

Warren nodded.

"You know you're a Hero, right, Hippie?" he asked, slowly, "Even if you don't switch to Hero classes, that won't change."

"Thanks," Layla said, giving him a grateful smile. "It's just...my mom would be so happy, and Will-"

"It doesn't matter what Stronghold thinks, or your mom," Warren firmly interrupted her, "It's your choice, Hippie; no one else's. No matter what. You have to remember that."

"But what if-" Layla began.

"No buts, Hippie. You've got to do what makes you happy. If that means staying in Hero Support, than that's what you've got to do," Warren interrupted again, "But it won't change who you are. Plus...the classes are easier," he added with a gleam in his eye.

Layla laughed. He grinned: mission accomplished.

"Thanks, Warren. Really. Thank you," Layla gushed.

"Did I help?" Warren asked.

"Yeah, you did," Layla replied.

"Good. Well, I'd love to stay and chat, Hippie, but I've got to go do my job now," Warren jibed, grinning, "Oh, and...save your dessert for after you get home," he added, nodding at her before he left.

_SkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHigh_

Layla avoided her friends for the weekend. That would have been impossible, especially with Will, if it hadn't been for Warren. She owed him.

Big.

She knew it was a sacrifice on his part, to actually ask Will to "hang out". He wasn't used to it, let alone the very idea of having friends, and was still somewhat closed off to the rest of them. But he had.

And Layla was able to spend two days, two agonizing days, contemplating her decision. Warren had raised good points. Of course, it helped - and didn't help - that nobody knew about it. Principal Powers hadn't even called her mother.

But she still didn't know what she was going to do. She knew what she_ wanted_: to stay in Hero Support. It wasn't just because of her friends; if she switched, that would imply that the current school system was working and it wasn't, not really. She liked Hero Support because the classes made her actually think about situations and learn the things she needed to fight villains. She knew from both Warren and Will that Heroes - for the most part - would have to rely on their Sidekicks in the real world. Heroes did not have things like How to Use Weapons 101 and Correct Usage of the Secret Identity.

Not that Layla thought they needed classes to learn about weapons. She didn't like violence, despite knowing that she would have to be able to defend herself as a Hero. The fight against Penny had been a wake-up call for her.

That night, well her fight against Penny, really, had made her realize she needed to accept some things. She had realized that violence, especially self defense, was part of the course of being a Hero. She knew that someday, sometime it would not matter that she didn't like violence she would have to use it to be an active Hero. These thoughts and more raced through her head.

If she did switch to the Hero track, how different would it be? Yeah she would have Will, but that's it, the others would still be stuck in Hero Support and she really would be somewhat alone. She loved Will. Yes, but being in the Hero track wasn't about her and Will. She needed to be somewhere she could be herself and she honestly had trouble at times accepting the way some of the other Heroes acted.

Layla worriedly chewed her nails and her lips were pursed in thought.

On the other hand, the classes were different. There was no doubt in her mind she would enjoy most of them and the challenge they would present. She liked the thought of the added challenge; she did like to prove to herself she could accomplish things after all. But, was it worth it to give up the classes she already enjoyed? The Hero level classes did offer a more narrow aspect to being a Hero, something that Layla had heard was an almost necessity when fighting villains. That was a necessity Layla would need and she knew that. Knew that after High School, after graduation when she became an active Hero that she could not-despite her reluctance to admit it to herself-rely on her pessimism to fight villains. But the Support classes were useful to, in some ways, most ways; Layla believed they were more useful. But she _would_ be considered a Hero if she changed tracks. She liked the thought of actually being a _Hero_ not just Hero Support.

However in the end Layla had only one choice, the one that made her the most comfortable though in reality it had never been a question, not really. She nodded.

By Sunday night she had made a decision, and no one would be able to dissuade her from it.

Monday morning began with Layla walking into Principal Powers' office.

"Good morning, Ms. Williams," Powers greeted, "I trust you have come to a decision?"

"I want to stay in Hero Support, Principal Powers," Layla said firmly.

"I see," Powers replied, her eyebrows rising as one. "You realize that if you stay in Hero Support, you will not get the valuable lessons you may otherwise learn in the Hero classes."

"Yes, Principal Powers, but...a friend told me that being in Hero Support wouldn't change who I am," Layla began, "And I agree with him. I am still a Hero - with or without the classes."

Powers nodded. Layla noticed a sense of respect in those eyes that hadn't been there before.

"In that case, Layla, I respect your decision and you will continue with your hero Support classes," Principal Powers said.

"Thank you, Principal Powers," Layla replied, nodding. She rose and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Layla?" Principal Powers added.

Layla turned around.

"Your friend is very wise. Keep him," she advised.

Layla grinned, nodded, and left the office.

_SkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHighSkyHigh_

Later, at lunch, Layla sat down at a table in the back of the cafeteria. The table contained only one other occupant who, when she sat down, looked up from his book.

"Thanks," Layla said simply.

Warren nodded.

Nothing else had to be said.

Afterwards, when the rest of their friends had joined the two at the table, Layla smiled. Warren had not moved and sat without complaint next to Ethan. She knew it would take time for the group to really get comfortable with each other - for Warren even more so - but it would happen. After all, he had accepted the group when they sat with him, even the first time it had happened.

Layla smiled, turned to Will and the others, and began to tell them the real reason she had been absent over the weekend.

Of course she had barely gotten halfway into the first sentence, when Zack chose the moment to be, well to be ­_Zack_.

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**So how was it? For readers of F&F-I am writing Chapter 4, it is slow going since I am trying to make it mesh with what I want to happen later on. So Please, Please, hang in there. **

**For my Moonlight readers, see above. I am going to continue Freshie, don't worry. I have been swamped with last minute to dos for graduation. Plus my exams finished on Friday-lasted a week longer than I thought. Bear with me until June, my faithful readers.**

**RM**


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